The Solar Bakery is a project conceived by R20 and RUDI (Rural Urban Development Initiatives), which was funded through a grant from the Energy and Environment Partnership of Southern and East Africa (EEP S&EA). Through this project, R20, RUDI and EEPS&EA aimed to help underprivileged rural communities in the Kisarawe District of Tanzania by creating sustainable employment opportunities, empowering female entrepreneurs and reducing their vulnerability to poverty, and addressing degradation of natural resources.

Before the arrival of the Solar Oven on site, R20 and RUDI conducted stakeholder consultation meetings, strategy workshops and trainings to identify suitable female entrepreneurs and discuss the business and implementation plan of the bakery. The Solar Oven arrived in the beginning of June 2017 and a total of 54 women received training on how to use the solar oven as well as a 5-day baking training during which they learned how to bake cake, bread, scones and pastries.

By September 2017, this project had led to the creation of an MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise) known as Kazimzumbwi Eco-bakery and provided 6 full time jobs (daily and permanent operation of the bakery), 35 part time job (rotational work at the bakery) as well as 5 indirect jobs (distributor agents). With the sales of their products – mainly bread and scones – the women at Kazimzumbwi Eco Bakery have been able to generate a stable income (€1081 in sales / month) and will contribute to save up to 150 tons of wood annually (reduction of 277 tons of GHG / year).

Kita is a photovoltaic project with a capacity of 50 MW that was initiated in February 2013 by the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between R20 and the Government of Mali to carry out pre-feasibility studies on renewable energy projects in the country.

The pre-feasibility study, carried out under R20’s leadership by consultants and experts located in Dakar as well as local counterparts such as the National Authority on Energy and Société Energie (the energy company), was approved by the National Authority on Energy and led to a new agreement between R20 and Akuo Energy – France’s leading independent producer of renewable energy – to conduct feasibility studies for the 50 MW solar PV project in Kita, Mali.

Initial public and private investors were attracted and, thanks to the feasibility studies, a PPA and concession agreement were signed, enabling the construction of the power plant to begin in early 2019. Once built, Kita will be the largest PV plant to date in Western Africa.

Following a contract agreement in December 2014, R20, in partnership with Swiss, Italian and French engineering companies, collaborated closely with the Dapeng New District Government on an integrated municipal solid waste management project. The aim of this project is to optimize the waste management value chain – based on maximizing the “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” principles – and prevent future problems related to waste in the region.

KEY NUMBERS:

1. (2015): R20 and its partners complete data collection on landfills, construction and demolition waste, organic waste and household waste.
2. (2015): R20 delivers a pre-feasibility study, which provides an in depth analysis of the municipal waste situation in Dapeng and identifies 8 waste management and infrastructure solutions tailored for Dapeng New District.
3. (2016): R20 and a team of experts start the feasibility studies of two waste infrastructure projects selected by the Dapeng local Government.
4. (2016): R20 delivers the feasibility studies and provides a pragmatic scenario for fast implementation with scaling-up perspective in later stages.